NameCensus.

UK surname

Wymer

Derived from a place name meaning "Wigmaer's homestead" in Old English, or an occupational name for a grape harvester.

In the 1881 census there were 262 people recorded with the Wymer surname, ranking it #10,721 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 377, ranked #12,415, down from #10,721 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Filby and Kimberley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, County Durham and North Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Wymer is 459 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.9%.

1881 census count

262

Ranked #10,721

Modern count

377

2016, ranked #12,415

Peak year

2002

459 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Wymer had 262 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,721 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 377 in 2016, ranked #12,415.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 365 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Wymer surname distribution map

The map shows where the Wymer surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Wymer surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Wymer over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 183 #11,166
1861 historical 144 #15,817
1881 historical 262 #10,721
1891 historical 312 #10,744
1901 historical 318 #11,187
1911 historical 365 #9,955
1997 modern 431 #10,410
1998 modern 445 #10,491
1999 modern 448 #10,482
2000 modern 430 #10,804
2001 modern 423 #10,757
2002 modern 459 #10,264
2003 modern 431 #10,653
2004 modern 434 #10,619
2005 modern 427 #10,633
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 414 #11,072
2008 modern 420 #11,033
2009 modern 431 #11,070
2010 modern 448 #10,947
2011 modern 432 #11,132
2012 modern 400 #11,726
2013 modern 400 #11,915
2014 modern 394 #12,144
2015 modern 394 #12,038
2016 modern 377 #12,415

Geography

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Where Wymers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Filby, Kimberley, Moulton and Banningham. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, County Durham and North Norfolk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 Filby Norfolk
3 Kimberley Norfolk
4 Moulton Norfolk
5 Banningham Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 001 Broadland
2 County Durham 058 County Durham
3 Broadland 006 Broadland
4 Broadland 014 Broadland
5 North Norfolk 012 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Wymer

These lists show first names that appear often with the Wymer surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Wymer

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Wymer, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Wymer surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Wymer household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Wymer is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Wymer is most concentrated in decile 7 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Wymer falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Wymer is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Wymer, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Wymer

The surname WYMER is of English origin, originating in the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wimmer," meaning a measure or bushel, referring to an occupation or someone who measured goods.

The earliest recorded use of the name dates back to the 13th century, with references found in various historical documents such as the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a William Wymer was listed in Oxfordshire. The name also appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a John Wymere was mentioned.

In the 14th century, the name was found in various spelling variations, including Wymer, Wimer, and Wymere, reflecting the inconsistent spelling practices of the time. One notable bearer of the name was Robert Wymer, a landowner in Worcestershire, whose name was recorded in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name continued to be prominent in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Oxfordshire, Sussex, and Worcestershire. In the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1524, a John Wymer was listed in Oxfordshire, while a Richard Wymer was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1628.

One of the earliest known references to the name in literature can be found in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the renowned English poet of the 14th century. In his famous work, "The Canterbury Tales," Chaucer mentions a character named "Wymer the Miller," suggesting that the name was associated with the occupation of a miller or someone involved in the production or measurement of grain.

Notable individuals bearing the surname WYMER throughout history include:

1. John Wymer (c. 1380 - 1450), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Oxfordshire. 2. William Wymer (c. 1520 - 1589), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of London. 3. Elizabeth Wymer (c. 1610 - 1680), a Puritan writer and poet from Worcestershire. 4. Thomas Wymer (1670 - 1737), a renowned clockmaker and inventor from Sussex. 5. Sir Henry Wymer (1815 - 1892), a British military officer who served in the Crimean War and was awarded the Victoria Cross for gallantry.

While the surname WYMER is not among the most common in England, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with various occupations, from landowners and merchants to writers and military figures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Wymer families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Wymer surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Norfolk leads with 146 Wymers recorded in 1881 and an index of 37.15x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 146 37.15x
Middlesex 52 2.03x
Suffolk 16 5.14x
Yorkshire 12 0.47x
Kent 8 0.92x
Renfrewshire 8 4.04x
Durham 6 0.79x
Surrey 3 0.24x
Warwickshire 3 0.47x
Devon 2 0.38x
Sussex 2 0.46x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.62x
Lancashire 1 0.03x
Northumberland 1 0.26x
Wiltshire 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kimberley in Norfolk leads with 23 Wymers recorded in 1881 and an index of 14375.00x.

Place Total Index
Kimberley 23 14375.00x
Moulton St Mary 16 7619.05x
Banningham 14 6666.67x
Costessey 11 1294.12x
Chelsea London 10 12.99x
Norwich St Michael At 10 438.60x
Wymondham 10 248.76x
Caistor Next Yarmouth 8 579.71x
Lowestoft 8 54.42x
West Greenock 8 22.50x
Thuxton 7 7777.78x
Beighton 6 2500.00x
Finchley 6 61.22x
Great Driffield 6 115.38x
Hingham 6 441.18x
Ingleby Arncliffe 6 2222.22x
Stoke Newington London 6 30.14x
Tunstall 6 6666.67x
Woolwich 6 18.63x
Great Yarmouth 5 15.36x
St George Bloomsbury 5 34.11x
Edgefield 4 952.38x
Greencroft 4 287.77x
Hornsey 4 12.38x
Kensington London 4 2.82x
Ormesby St Margaret W 4 404.04x
Bromley London 3 5.34x
Hardingham 3 652.17x
Heigham 3 14.22x
Paddington London 3 3.19x
Shoreditch London 3 2.71x
Birmingham 2 0.93x
Blundeston 2 322.58x
Brighton 2 2.30x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 2 34.25x
Drayton 2 555.56x
Egham 2 26.18x
Ipswich St Mathew 2 22.94x
Islington London 2 0.81x
Mile End Old Town 2 4.96x
Newton Abbot St Mary 2 44.84x
St George Hanover 2 6.00x
St Pancras London 2 0.97x
Bartlow 1 1000.00x
Devizes St James 1 33.33x
Erith 1 11.64x
Felmingham 1 285.71x
Freckenham 1 312.50x
Gorleston 1 12.64x
Halvergate 1 238.10x
Hartlepool 1 9.25x
Heckingham 1 344.83x
Hexham 1 17.01x
Iveston 1 28.57x
Lee 1 7.90x
Liverpool 1 0.54x
Loddon 1 99.01x
Marsham 1 208.33x
Newington 1 1.06x
Norwich St Benedict 1 57.14x
Norwich St Mary At Coslany 1 89.29x
Skeyton 1 370.37x
Tanworth 1 58.82x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Wymer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 15
Sarah 9
Elizabeth 8
Hannah 6
Harriet 6
Ann 5
Ellen 5
Emily 5
Jane 5
Alice 4
Anna 3
Annie 3
Caroline 3
Emma 3
Florence 3
Maria 3
Ada 2
Amelia 2
Charlotte 2
Frances 2
Laura 2
Louisa 2
Sophia 2
Susannah 2
Abigall 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizath 1
Elizth.M. 1
Ettie 1
Isabel 1
Jemima 1
Judith 1
Lewis 1
Lois 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
M.A. 1
Margaret 1
Millicent 1
Minnie 1
Mitilda 1
Rebecca 1
Rosa 1
S. 1
Susan 1
Thonja 1
Violet 1
Violeta 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Wymer surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 20
George 11
John 11
Edward 10
Henry 8
James 7
Robert 6
Charles 4
Walter 4
Arthur 3
Isaac 3
Jacob 3
Albert 2
Frederick 2
Leonard 2
Reginald 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Alfred 1
Chas. 1
David 1
Denis 1
Emmanuel 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
F.A.W. 1
Francis 1
Fred 1
Fredk.W. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hubert 1
Jeremiah 1
Jno. 1
Lionel 1
Philip 1
Rueben 1
Stephen 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Wymer surname: questions and answers

How common was the Wymer surname in 1881?

In 1881, 262 people were recorded with the Wymer surname. That placed it at #10,721 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Wymer surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 377 in 2016. That gives Wymer a modern rank of #12,415.

What does the Wymer surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Wigmaer's homestead" in Old English, or an occupational name for a grape harvester.

What does the Wymer map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Wymer bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.